George l



(No Model.)

G. L. BANKS & P. P. BELT FENCE MAKING MACHINE.

No. 440,457. Patented Nov. 11, 1890.

UNIT D STATES GEORGE L. BANKS AND PERLEY P.

PATENT @FFICE.

BELT, or FREDONIA, KANSAS; SAID FENCE-MAKING .MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,457, dated November 11, 1890. Application filed August 7, 1890. Serial No. 361,314. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE L. BANKS and PERLEY P. BELT, of Fredonia, in the county of Wilson and State of Kansas, have invented a new and Improved Fence-Makin g Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to an improved fencemaking machine, and has for its object to provide a simple, durable, and practical device by means of which even an inexperienced person may readily, conveniently, and economically construct a fence of a series of slats or laths and abinding material, such as wire.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a partof this specification,

in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine, partially in section, illustrating the application thereof. Fig. 2 is a transverse central section through the machine, and Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation and section of a slight modification in the construction of the machine.

The body 10 of the machine is preferably constructed of metal and is practically U- shaped in cross-section, comprising two sides, one open and an opposed closed edge. The body is of a height corresponding practically to the height of a fence, and at the lower end of the body a foot 11 is formed or attached, which foot extends horizontally from the back and is adapted to rest upon the ground, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The closed back of the body, at or near its central portion, is provided with a longitudinal recess 12, which opens into the interior, and between the sides of the body a rack-bar 13 is held to slide,'whieh rack-bar is provided with teeth 14 upon one edge, extending from top to bottom, which teeth are visible through the open edge of the body, and the rack-bar is also preferably provided with teeth 15 upon its opposite edge at or near the center, which teeth are visible through the recess 12 in the closed edge of the body. From the sides of the body, at that portion containing the recess 12, brackets 16 are horizontally projected, which brackets are at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the body, as best shown in Fig. 2. Between the brackets 16a toothed segment 17'is pivoted, a handle 18 being proand the teeth of the segment are adapted to engage with the teeth 15 of the rack-bar.

At intervals in the length of the body, casings 19 are attached to or formed integral with its sides, which casings are in vertical alignment and are located immediately in front of the open edge of the body. The casin each side with opposite circular openings, and in each casing a pinion 20 is loosely fitted adapted to engage with the teeth let of the rack-bar, and the sides of the pinions are visible through the side openings in the easings, and in the exposed side surfaces of the pinions two or more (preferably two) apertures 21 are produced, the said apertures being arranged at opposite sides of the center, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The casings 19 are preferably made with one removable side 10, to facilitate the introduction of the pinions therein. It is evident that when the toothed segment 17 is moved up or down the rack-bar 13 will also be moved, and in moving will impart a rotary motion to the pinions.

In Fig. 3 a slight modification in the construction is illustrated, which modification consists only in dispensing with the toothed segment 17 and the teeth 15 upon the rear edge of the rack, the rack being moved up or down through the medium of a handle 22, formed integral with or attached to the rackbar and extending horizontally outward through the rear recess 12 in the body of the machine.

In operation the strands of wire 23 to be utilized in the construction of the fence are secured at one end in any suitable or approved manner to a post 24, and the opposite ends of the strands are attached to any approved form of tension device 25, connected with a distant and conveniently-located postjected outward from the hub of the segment, 1

ings are preferably circular and are provided IOC 26. The wire strands, before attachment to the tension device, are passed through the apertures 21 of the, pinions, and before a slat 27, lath, or equivalentstrip is placed in position the machine'is moved close to the post 24, and the rack-bar is moved upward through the medium of the arm 22 or the toothed segment 17, whereupon the pinions will be revolved and a twist 28 will be formed in the wire, as illustrated in Fig. 1, close to the post. The machine is then moved a slight distance from the post, and a slat or lath is passed downward through the strands of wire and is carried close to the twist 28 just formed. The machine is brought quite close to the inserted lath, and the rack-bar is moved downward, whereupon a second twist is formed in the strands in a direction the reverse of the twist first formed, and the lath is thereby securely held in an upright position between each strand by the opposed twist, and thus lath after lath is secured in posit-ion, the twists being alternately made in opposite directions until a panel has been completed, when the machine is placed in position to form a second panel. In the operation of the machine the foot of the operatoris preferably placed upon the foot-piece 11 of the body, thus holding the lower portion of the machine stationary, While the upper end is grasped by one hand and the rack-bar is operated by the other hand.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent A fence-making machine consisting in the vertical body 10, U-shaped in cross-section and provided in the bend with a longitudinal slot 12, an outward-projecting foot 11 at the lower end, brackets 16, projecting from the body at the slot 12, the toothed segment 17, pivoted between the said brackets with its toothed edge projecting through the slot 12, the casings 19 at the open side of the body 10, the pinions mounted therein and having apertures 21, and the vertical bar 13 within the body 10 and toothed on both edges, substantially as set forth.

GEORGE L. BANKS. PERLEY, P. BELT. Witnesses:

F. L. MORRIS, ROBERT C. RANKIN. 

